Side Effects
by Center of the Galaxy
Summary: The Aether had fed off her life force, had been in her for much too long. She should've expected the side effects. She just hopes she can survive them. *Thor/Jane, Dark World spoilers!*
1. Hidden

_**Author's Note: **__I adored Thor 2 and I've missed writing about this fandom. And frankly, I love Thor and Jane way too much for my own good. Don't worry though, this is not a tragedy, I promise. Now, please enjoy!_

* * *

"_All of the things that I want to say_

_Just aren't coming out right_

_I'm tripping on words, you got my head spinning_

_I don't know where to go from here."_

—_Lifehouse, "You and Me"_

* * *

The doctor's office is supposed to be homey with its whitewashed walls and comforting pictures. It's got nice carpeted floors that are pristinely clean and the desk that she sits at glistens as the sunlight streams in through the huge window behind it. It doesn't smell like a hospital here—there's no trace of that ultra-sterilized air that foreshadowed pain and eventually death—but none of this puts her at ease. Selfishly, she wishes Thor were here with her, by her side, holding her hand instead of visiting Asgard, but she immediately dismisses the thought.

Thor didn't know and if she had any say in the matter, he would never find out.

"Miss Foster," The kindly doctor begins and Jane suppresses a sigh. She doesn't remember the guy's name—she stopped remembering names after the fifth new doctor she visited—but she had a tiny bit of hope that this specialist could come up with something to explain what the hell was happening to her. Ever since her return from Asgard, the astrophysicist had experienced numerous irregularities with her heartbeat, shortness of breath and severe nosebleeds. With Darcy and Erik, she'd been able to keep her symptoms hidden—she smiled and dismissed their fears with a wave of her hand on the rare occasion whenever they would flare up—but secretly, she's worried. "I'm truly sorry, Miss Foster." Her gaze lingers on the doctor's green eyes and she waits. He hands her a chart and she frowns as she sees "inconclusive" scribbled all over it. "I can't seem to find anything to explain your symptoms. All your tests have come back negative and the CT scan and the MRI's are all fine."

"So, there's nothing wrong with me?" Her voice breaks a little bit because she knows she's not crazy, she can sense there is something severely wrong with her.

"Your symptoms are very real," The doctor insists vehemently. "But I can't seem to link them to any one condition." He shakes his head and Jane feels her heart sink. "I can recommend some other specialists—"

"No," She interjects softly and startled, the doctor glances at her, clearly perplexed. "I've been to see other specialists and they all came up with the same results."

"Ah, I see," They sit there in an awkward silence until the doctor coughs slightly, clearing his throat. "I can prescribe some medication in the hopes it will keep your symptoms in check."

"I've done that," Yep, three doctors ago she had tried the medication route. "It only made things worse." Her body seems intent on preventing any method of her getting help from working.

"I really am sorry," The doctor continues and Jane nods her head. It's not his fault, she knows, but the anger is still there, bubbling under the surface. "If you change your mind, please give me a call."

"Of course." They both rise from the table and shake hands.

She'll never call him again.

* * *

"How was the doctor?" Jane flinches as Darcy's calm voice filters through. Her hand trembles ever so slightly as she pulls a coffee mug from the cabinet. She won't face her intern—not yet, not when it's still too obvious—and maybe that's cowardly, but she's not ready to talk about this yet.

"Doctor Banner is doing fine." Redirection, a classic tool. Maybe Darcy will rise to the bait—she's always easily distracted when the Avengers are involved—but there is no response from her. Silence reigns in the cramped kitchen and Jane continues to pour her coffee, acting like nothing is wrong.

"You're a really sucky liar, you know that?" Darcy huffs, finally entering the room and plopping at the kitchen table. She tosses Jane's planner on the wooden table with a thud and Jane cringes. "2:15, D.R." The scientist takes a sip of her coffee and nearly splutters with how hot it is. "Took me a bit of time to figure out what D.R. meant, but hey, that's what I have an intern for." Her intern's gaze burns Jane's own. "Why have you been visiting doctors left and right for the past three weeks?"

"No reason really—"

"Cut the crap, would you?" Darcy practically growls and Jane knows when to give up. Relenting, she places her mug on the coaster and then slowly lowers herself down onto the chair.

"It's nothing major," Darcy opens her mouth to protest and Jane quickly plows on. "I just haven't been feeling too well since I got back from Asgard." Her intern raises an eyebrow suspiciously.

"What do you mean?"

"I've been having nosebleeds," She leaves out the part that they can sometimes get so bad, she thinks she's going to die. "And sometimes, my heart beats a bit too fast and I have trouble breathing." Darcy's face is impassive. "But really, it's okay." She adds quickly.

"You're sick?" Darcy questions quietly.

"Yeah," Jane admits. "I think so."

"Okay," The younger woman runs a hand through her dark hair. "What do the doctors think it is?" With a rueful smile, Jane informs her,

"They have no idea."

* * *

"You're sick." Erik mumbles and Jane sighs, aggravated, only silenced when Darcy hits her with her elbow in the ribs. It wasn't her idea to come clean to Erik about all this, especially since her mentor was doing so well after helping save the nine realms from the Aether and the dark elves. In fact, if Jane had her way, she would never even be having this conversation with any of them. She'd be in her lab, doing research, trying to figure out her own cure. But, truth be told, it feels nice not to have to put up a strong front anymore.

"It's not that bad—" She protests half-heartedly.

"Bull," Darcy interjects and then meets Erik's gaze. "Her heart is beating weird and the doctors have no idea what's wrong."

"Your heart?" Erik echoes. He mumbles something and then paces the floor for a bit before stopping suddenly to look her in the eyes. He comes up to her, places two strong hands on her shoulders and keeps staring, as if he's searching for something. "Jane, you told me you were the host for the Aether."

"Yes?"

"And the Aether feeds off its host's life force." Erik continues and Jane sees the color drain from Darcy's face, can feel her own heart pounding in return as the panic begins to set in. She's about to ask why that matters when the pieces start to click into place and she wonders why the hell she didn't figure out earlier. There's relief because she finally knows that she's not crazy and something is wrong, but dread quickly settles in as she realizes this isn't a problem that people on Earth alone could solve.

"Thor." She breathes.

She needs him now.

* * *

_**Author's Note: **__Next chapter, Jane pays Bruce Banner a visit and Thor returns! Please review if you have a second. _


	2. Tests

_**Author's Note: **__Thanks for the wonderful response to the first chapter! I'm so glad that you guys are enjoying the story!_

* * *

"_It's not supposed to hurt this way_

_I need you, I need you_

_More and more each day."_

—_Avril Lavigne, "Why"_

* * *

Dr. Banner met her at a crowded coffee shop, at the small wooden table all the way in the back of the room. Their voices would be lost in the din of friends gossiping and keyboards clicking. Frankly, this small coffee shop was the only place in London, besides her lab, that she felt safe meeting him in. He was doing her a huge favor, she knew, but aside from Thor—she really didn't want to call him yet, not without exhausting all her options—he was the only one that could help her. Bruce made her feel calm, which was a surprise given the amount of time he spent as the Hulk. Still, while most people ran off scared, Jane knew the man behind the monster was a good one. He cared for people; he tried to help others the best he could. He was a brilliant scientist and an amazing doctor.

"Dr. Foster," He greeted as she rose from the table, shaking hands. His grip was firm and she grinned in relief upon seeing his face. He was disheveled as usual, but his green eyes reflected back a serene calm, one that made her racing heart slow slightly. "It's good to see you again." He sat and she returned back to her seat. She poured him a cup of coffee, her hands shaking somewhat. What she had to tell him, what she had to trust him with—it was a lot to swallow, she knew. Still, he was part of a superhero team. If anyone was going to believe her, it would be Bruce.

"I see Tony let you out of the lab." She said with a small smile tugging at her lips. How long had it been since she felt this at ease? Sure, she had Darcy and Erik, but with her secret now revealed, they spent their time fretting over condition. She was lucky, she knew, that she had two people who cared so much, but sometimes, Jane wished they could be as they were before she found the Aether.

"Yeah," Bruce remarked, taking a small sip of his black coffee. "He and Pepper are off in Hawaii for the week."

"A vacation," Jane mumbled, tucking a strand of her chestnut hair behind her ear. "That's nice." They sat in silence for a few moments. Her gaze fell to her coffee cup and she tried to muster up the courage to tell him the truth about why she had summoned him to a different country.

"Jane?"

"Hmm?" Her head darted back up and she met his concerned gaze.

"I get the feeling you didn't ask me to fly here just to catch up." She swallowed nervously, her hands unconsciously gripping the cup.

"No, I, uh, didn't." He waited and she tried to push the words out. What was she supposed to say? How could she break this to him delicately? She didn't want the other Avengers involved because if Thor found out from someone else other than her—

"Is it you and Thor?" He asked hesitantly and she shook her head furiously.

"No, no!" She exclaimed quickly. "No, he and I are great."

"That's good," Bruce sighed with relief. Then, curiously, he titled his head to the side somewhat. "Then, why did you call me?"

It was time for her to bite the bullet.

"I'm sick." Mild shock registered on his expression, followed by confusion.

"Sick?" He echoed. "With what?"

"I don't know," She confessed, biting her lower lip nervously. "I just . . . I think it might be magical or something like that." Desperate, she forced herself to look him straight in the eyes. "Bruce, I've been to more doctors then I can count and no one can tell me what's wrong."

"And you think I can?" He questioned quietly and she nodded her head. He ran a hand through his hair and sucked in a breath before releasing it slowly. "Okay. We can run some tests. I can compare your results to SHIELD'S database and see if we can come up with something."

"And you won't tell anyone?" Bruce chuckled softly at that.

"I can guarantee you doctor-patient confidentiality," He assured her. "Whatever we discuss, whatever I find out, it won't be told to anyone else unless you want it to, Jane."

"Okay," She breathed, a huge weight lifting from her shoulders. "When do we get started?"

"Tomorrow morning." He informed her. "I'll just need to borrow some equipment."

"Yeah, of course." She mumbled, relieved to finally have someone that understood, someone who could help.

* * *

She felt like an idiot.

"Go on." Darcy encouraged with a smirk on her lips. Together, they stood outside, the wind ruffling her hair. She stared upwards at the starry sky and she sighed softly.

"Hey, Heimdall," Jane spoke quietly, wondering if the God that guarded the Bifrost was listening. "Listen, uh, I don't know if you know this, but I'm sick." She waited for some sort of heavenly response, but the skies remained as they were. Turning to Darcy, she snapped, "This is stupid!"

"Fine," Her intern growled. "Let's go inside and we can call up Fury and tell him exactly what's—"

"Wait, okay, fine." Jane huffed. She was a woman who believed in science, in logic. Talking to the empty sky in the hopes that an Asgardian a whole realm away could get in touch with Thor was ridiculous. She wasn't one to consider herself a damsel in distress, but whatever was happening to her—whatever the Aether did to her—it wasn't from her realm.

She needed help, she could admit that.

"Jane." Darcy prodded and the scientist nodded her head.

"Anyways," She continued. "If you see Thor, could you let him know that I would very much like to—?"

A rumble of thunder, a flash of light and out of the darkness, Thor appeared.

"Jane." He beamed and she felt a smile of her own appear on her lips. He embraced her, his strong arms encircling her and she let herself be swept away by the relief surging through her veins.

For a moment, she let herself forget.

"Thor?" He met her gaze. "We really need to talk."

And that's how she broke the news to him.

* * *

_**Author's Note: **__Next chapter, some Jane/Thor fluff! I'll try to make it lighthearted. Please review if you have a second. Thanks! _


	3. Truth

_**Author's Note: **__I'm sick with a nasty cold and I had to get this chapter out. Thanks for all the kind reviews. I'm glad a lot of people are enjoying this story! Please enjoy this chapter._

* * *

"_Cause I cannot stand still_

_I can't be this unsturdy_

_This cannot be happening."_

_Lifehouse, "Somewhere in between"_

* * *

Thor takes the news better than she expected.

In fact, he simply nods his head before beaming at her with that smile that never failed to melt her heart and bring her some joy. She isn't quite sure if Thor understands what "sick" actually means as from what she gathered from her brief trip to Asgard, their definitions of "sick" are two different things. Then again, Jane might've left a few important parts out and might've given him the impression that she was sick with a minor cold, rather than something serious. But what was she supposed to do? He had just returned to her! She didn't want to ruin their meeting so early on. Besides, Bruce was on it and she trusted the doctor. If anyone could figure out how to help her, it was he. So, really, Jane rationalized with a wry grin, there was no reason to tell Thor the whole truth until after Bruce came up with a diagnosis.

Darcy is pissed, to say the least and she can feel her intern's eyes glaring daggers at the back of her head. It's clear that the younger woman had been expecting her boss to come clean to her boyfriend, but thankfully; she hasn't said anything about it. Jane knows she's on borrowed time—sooner or later, Darcy would take the choice out of her hands and tell Thor herself—but for now, she would just bask in the presence of her boyfriend by her side. Tomorrow, she would tell the truth and admit what was really going on. After all, her appointment with Bruce was scheduled for the morning and she would explain what was going on before she left.

Or after she got back.

Or, hey, maybe she wouldn't ever have to say anything.

"Jane?" Darcy begins in a saccharine voice, a hint of warning in her tone. Jane turns her head to meet her intern's heated gaze. Thor is oblivious; too interested on glancing at all the items they have in their lab. Erik would be back soon and Jane had no doubts the older scientist and the young God would spend some time catching up. "Don't forget about your doctor's appointment with Bruce tomorrow." Jane freezes and she can hear Thor still behind her, whatever gadget he had in his hands no longer interesting.

"Dr. Banner?" Thor asks, his eye darting from Jane to Darcy. "Are you two discussing something to do with physics?" Darcy glares at her pointedly and Jane knows she's being given an option here—come clean or her intern would do it for her. "Jane?" Thor's blue eyes settle on her panicked expression and he frowns, concern alighting in his gaze. He takes her clammy hand within his own and squeezes it gently, offering her his strength, offering her his protection and aid for whatever fight she's facing. "Jane," His voice is so soft now, barely above a whisper and wasn't that odd, for the usually loud God of Thunder to speaking her so quietly. "What ails you?"

And she breaks.

Damn it all, she can't lie to him anymore.

"Thor," Her voice breaks and Thor stiffens, suddenly understanding that something is seriously wrong here. Darcy shoots her a sympathetic glance before leaving the room, knowing that her boss would need privacy for this. "I'm sick."

"I know," He nods his head slowly. "You informed me of this—" Shaking her head furiously, she feels a tear roll down her cheek. Furious, she wipes it away. She's not weak. She's not a damsel in distress that needs a man to comfort her. Yet, with him, she finds that she can let her walls drop.

She can let him in.

"No," She interjects, forcing her eyes to lock onto his. "I don't have a cold." She pauses, thinking. "I mean, I don't think so. I doubt that I could have one, but it could be possible since no one has ever had this before—"

"Jane," Thor interrupts, tilting her head to keep her eyes on his. "What are you talking about?" She pulls in a shuddery breath and regains her composure.

"For a while, I've been experiencing odd symptoms."

"Symptoms?" Thor echoes, a bit perplexed.

"I've had headaches and my heart beat has been irregular," She explains, proud by how calm she comes off as now. "I've seen a bunch of doctors and they have no idea what's wrong with me."

"Is that why you are seeking the aid of Dr. Banner?" He questions and she nods her head.

"But, Thor," She hesitates and as if sensing her worries, he nods encouragingly at her. "I think that whatever I'm experiencing . . ." She bites her lower lip nervously. "I think it came from the Aether."

Silence.

"The Aether?" Thor finally speaks, voice grave and very unlike his jovial nature.

"Yes."

"Your illness is caused from Asgard then." A dark expression flashes in his eyes and she knows where his train of thought is going. Quickly, she reaches out for him and wraps her arms around him, holding him tightly.

"It's not your fault." She whispers, because it really isn't. How could he have known this would happen? How could anyone have known? This was just what fate had dealt her.

"Jane—"

"Thor, please," She pleads softly and he sighs, before breaking free of her embrace. "I need you now, okay? You can't blame yourself for this." He nods silently before leaving the room. Jane moves to go after him when an arm pulls her back.

"Let him go," Darcy instructs. "Erik will talk to him." Indeed, Jane can see her mentor heading after Thor, the two of them talking in hushed tones. "C'mon, let's go watch some TV."

"I'm not in the mood, Darcy—" She has her eyes locked on Thor and she wants nothing more than to take away his pain and make him see that whatever was happening to her now, there was nothing he could've done to stop it.

"Jane, please," Her intern pleads, complete with puppy eyes and the astrophysicist caves with a soft sigh. "That's my girl!" Her intern cheers. "Erik will straighten this out. Don't worry."

With a frown tugging at her lips, she lets her intern lead her out of the lab and towards the living room.

* * *

"Thor?" Jane asks, surprised and quite honestly a bit concerned. For there is the mighty God of Thunder in jeans and a pale blue t-shirt; his hair done in a loose ponytail standing by the front door, as if he had been awaiting her. He pulls at the sleeves a bit uncomfortably, but smiles at her, though she notices it is a bit dim compared to most of his smiles. "What are you doing?"

"Erik informed me that if I wished to accompany you on your tests that it would be best to wear "street clothes" as it would attract less attention." She laughs at his use of air quotes, something Darcy must've taught him, but she's by far pleased that he wants to go with her. In all honestly, she had been a bit worried about going alone—partly because doctors in general scared her, but also because she was afraid of what Bruce might find—but now, seeing her boyfriend by the door, some of the uneasiness leaves her.

"You're . . . coming with me?" She beams and he chuckles dryly.

"Of course, Jane," He states, as if she's stupid for not figuring it out herself because it was just that obvious. "I may not be able to fight this illness for you, but I will offer you my strength and support." She can picture Darcy sniggering at the cheesiness of that statement, but Jane just grins like a fool. She had gotten used to being alone ever since her parents had died when she was a teenager. As an only child, she had to grow up quickly and because of her high intelligence, other girls had teased her in school. Erik and Darcy were the first real people she had trusted and now, there was Thor.

Thor, who could summon happiness with just a single smile.

Thor, who could chase away her worries with a single touch.

"Thank you." She breathes, taking his outstretched hand.

And then they were off.

* * *

_**Author's Note: **__Next chapter, more Bruce! Please review if you have a second. Thanks! _


End file.
